Help the TCPS Education Foundation provide internet connectivity for local families to level the playing field and provide equitable access for all TCPS students.

Our goal is to raise $60,000 to cover the cost of internet access for one year for 300 Talbot County families ($200 per family) whose children have been unable to access digital learning platforms and resources since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Help the TCPS Education Foundation provide internet connectivity for local families to level the playing field and provide equitable access for all TCPS students. image

$37,005

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Our goal is to raise $60,000 to cover the cost of internet access for one year for 300 Talbot County families ($200 per family) whose children have been unable to access digital learning platforms and resources since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

CLOSE the Digital Divide for Talbot County Students

Donation Levels:
$5000 - Connection fee + 12 months service for 25 families
$2000 - Connection fee + 12 months service for 10 families
$1000 - Connection fee + 12 months service for 5 families
$600 - Connection fee + 12 months service for 3 families
$400 - Connection fee + 12 months service for 2 families
$200 - Connection fee + 12 months service for 1 family
$110 - Connection fee + 6 months service for 1 family
$65 - Connection fee + 3 months service for 1 family
$20 - Internet connection fee for 1 family
When schools closed due to COVID-19, school districts were directed to provide “Continuity of Learning” using digital devices and communications. While virtual learning is not new for TCPS, the need to quickly transition ALL students and staff exclusively to this model presented significant challenges.
TCPS is very fortunate to have been able to purchase 1:1 devices for students K-12. All students in grades 6-12 took their district-issued laptops home with them when school closed, and TCPS distributed iPads to all students in grades K-5 the following week.

Schools began identifying students in all grade levels who did not have reliable internet access. Those students received packets of school work to complete each week.

This is where the “digital divide” became more apparent than ever. There is a lack of equity for students who cannot access on-line teaching platforms or engage with their teachers virtually. The educational experience of these students suffered greatly due to the “digital divide.”

The challenge is two-fold:

  • With 49% of our students qualifying for Free and Reduced Meals, many TCPS families are unable to afford internet service.
  • Also, internet service is either unreliable or unavailable in some parts of Talbot County where our students and staff live.

As TCPS develops various scenarios for the start of school for the 2020-2021 school year, students will continue to need technology and internet access. We cannot allow the digital divide to widen the achievement gap for our students. The Digital Divide Campaign could provide internet access for families in need and help us level the playing field with equitable access to a quality education.

TCPS has determined that there are at least 300 households in which students’ families are unable to afford or obtain reliable internet service. The school system is collaborating with local providers on discounted programs, with an estimated annual cost of $200. With this in mind the foundation has set a campaign goal of $60,000 ($200 x 300 families).